Often times even Texas-size closets can’t accommodate keeping us organized. Smaller – forget about it. After we’ve spent years reducing clutter inspired by Kon Mari and getting rid of something every time we get something new, Todd O’Neill has devised an alternate solution to keeping closet inventory down and your wardrobe organized, without having to give anything up that you may pine for later. Meet Closet Concierge, a white glove storage service for your clothes unlike any other on the market
We caught up with Todd to learn more about the new service that currently has a fee of $55/month to pick up, photograph, inventory and store items until you need all of them (or just a single piece!) back at home.
What inspired you to start Concierge Closet?
The idea for Concierge Closet stemmed from trying to solve two fundamental problems: a lack of closet space and a lack of time. My wife Stephanie is the founder and owner of Estilo Boutique. During her 17 years of building her business she’s had customers who complain of not being able to find something to wear in their closets. As she provides them with their clothing needs, she’s also been asked to help them find more space in their closets or to help them pair their new clothing with their existing wardrobe. Since clothing and fashion in general are an artistic expression and extension of someone's personality, customers tend to have a constantly evolving wardrobe, sometimes rotating because of seasonality or change in what they consider "essential." Additionally, cleaning out a closet can be a time-consuming endeavor.
When did Concierge Closet launch? My co-founder, Chancy Kennedy, and I began working on this mid-2021 and the soft launch was in December 2021. Stephanie was the first beta customer, followed by a few loyal Estilo customers.
What sets Concierge Closet apart from other services? Self-storage and even white-glove storage services don’t have item-level images and classification of what’s in storage. We come to your house, pick up the items that you don’t need right now, professionally photograph and document them, properly store the items and make them available for you to browse and request individually for return at any given time.
How are the items stored? Hanging up? On shelves? In boxes? I spent a significant amount of time researching proper care and storage of clothing. We’ve experimented with a variety of hangers as an example. I’ve observed the deterioration of padded dry cleaning hangers and the dimpling effect that a hanger can have on a garment stored over a long period of time. Depending on the type and color of a garment, we have different color hangers with different contours and grip to maximize the shape and integrity of the product. We have a labeling system for classifying the location of an item and perform quality assurance spot checks to continue to assess the health of an item.
What is the long-term goal of Concierge Closet? The storage aspect of Concierge Closet is definitely an entry point into a much broader market. As a retailer, I have an in-depth understanding of the process and data that’s available from the wholesale market through the retail market. However, after a product is sold to a customer, the use and maintenance of a clothing item is a bit of a black box to brands and retailers. We ultimately see ourselves as the solution for storage, maintenance, and disposition of clothing post-sale. Our current focus is the Austin market but with future expansion into other cities through a few feature channels and partnerships.